OT: USA Women's and Men's Soccer Team

[Panama]

No surprise, nobody plays American football across the pond.

Oh, really?

http://www.buafl.net/Default.aspx

http://britishamericanfootball.org/

http://www.eurobowl.info/

http://www.bafanl.co.uk/

[Yubaking]

Didn't Germany 4 years ago and the Netherlands 8 years ago leave off most or all of their veteran stars in order to go with youth, and didn't both make the final that year?

As others have noted, the Netherlands did have veterans on their team.

Regarding Germany, Ballack did not play in 2010 for Germany, but he was injured in the months leading up to the World Cup. Also, there was no evidence of animus between him and the coach before he was not selected for the national team.

Both teams also had superior depth to what we have.

Further, in the case of Donovan, we did not "go with youth". Klinsmann did not like Donovan, so he offered his pure BS assertion that Donovan was only a forward. That way, he could make the argument that Donovan was not among the 4 best forwards and use that argument to cut him. Naturally, Donovan also plays midfield, which is actually his best position. But by pigeonholing Donovan as a forward only, Klinsmann would have us ignore the inconvenient truth that Donovan is definitely better than some of the 8 midfielders that he kept.

Naturally, the fact that Donovan can play both forward and midfielder actually makes Donovan even more valuable.

The Klinsmann kid's tweet definitely sheds some light on what the Klinsmann household thinks of Donovan. I don't think "strong dislike" is an unfair characterization of the kind of sentiment that tweet exhibits. I can't say that it rises to the level of "rabid hatred", but it is definitely something worse than "do not care for".

I think there are times when going with youth is a fine idea, but that is not what happened here. An inferior and older Brad Davis was kept. Donovan was the victim of Klinsmann's dislike of him. I do not believe Klinsmann's decision is objectively supportable. Klinsmann just rationalized in his own mind a conclusion he wanted to reach. I think he started with the desired conclusion and worked backward in a feeble effort to support it.

[Panama]

As others have noted, the Netherlands did have veterans on their team.

Regarding Germany, Ballack did not play in 2010 for Germany, but he was injured in the months leading up to the World Cup. Also, there was no evidence of animus between him and the coach before he was not selected for the national team.

Both teams also had superior depth to what we have.

Further, in the case of Donovan, we did not "go with youth". Klinsmann did not like Donovan, so he offered his pure BS assertion that Donovan was only a forward. That way, he could make the argument that Donovan was not among the 4 best forwards and use that argument to cut him. Naturally, Donovan also plays midfield, which is actually his best position. But by pigeonholing Donovan as a forward only, Klinsmann would have us ignore the inconvenient truth that Donovan is definitely better than some of the 8 midfielders that he kept.

Naturally, the fact that Donovan can play both forward and midfielder actually makes Donovan even more valuable.

The Klinsmann kid's tweet definitely sheds some light on what the Klinsmann household thinks of Donovan. I don't think "strong dislike" is an unfair characterization of the kind of sentiment that tweet exhibits. I can't say that it rises to the level of "rabid hatred", but it is definitely something worse than "do not care for".

I think there are times when going with youth is a fine idea, but that is not what happened here. An inferior and older Brad Davis was kept. Donovan was the victim of Klinsmann's dislike of him. I do not believe Klinsmann's decision is objectively supportable. Klinsmann just rationalized in his own mind a conclusion he wanted to reach. I think he started with the desired conclusion and worked backward in a feeble effort to support it.

Can we hire Yuba an editor? Please?

Honestly, Yuba, your response could have (maybe should have) ended after your third line. Why do you feel the need essentially to rehash your entire argument in practically every response. You do not know (as I have consciously not indicated) whether I agree or disagree with you. I made an observation (which has been refuted), and you have assumed my position from my observation, leading to an unnecessarily long post.

Do yourself and all of us a favor: keep your responses concise and specific to the point in the post you are responding to. Don't feel the need to defend your position at every opportunity. If any of us have forgotten how you feel about something, we can usually find what you've previously posted. I feel browbeat every time you re-rehash your point.

[Yubaking]

Can we hire Yuba an editor? Please?

Honestly, Yuba, your response could have (maybe should have) ended after your third line. Why do you feel the need essentially to rehash your entire argument in practically every response. You do not know (as I have consciously not indicated) whether I agree or disagree with you. I made an observation (which has been refuted), and you have assumed my position from my observation, leading to an unnecessarily long post.

Do yourself and all of us a favor: keep your responses concise and specific to the point in the post you are responding to. Don't feel the need to defend your position at every opportunity. If any of us have forgotten how you feel about something, we can usually find what you've previously posted. I feel browbeat every time you re-rehash your point.

No problem. You are probably right about my responses in this thread at this point.

I hope you enjoy your day, Panama.

[sandiego17]

Ya, that's two games in a row that don't bode well. It was played at the stick, which makes perfect sense if the World Cup were to be held in Siberia. On a positive note, thought Brad Davis played ok. Altidore wasn't good and Wondo missed some easy chances that would have changed the game, but he does consistently give himself opportunities. Still on record liking Mix and Johansson a lot. Team doesn't have anyone else that does what Altidore does with his back to the goal, but still, he's got to produce, especially against crap like last night.

[thelightningwill]

There is no scale of evolution. Really old-fashioned thinking about biology. I'd be happy to start that discussion any time, but I do want to warn you, I have a PhD in Biology.

And I like football, just like I like soccer, but to argue that its opaque rules are the reason you like it sounds a bit weird.

You asked me how football is more advanced than soccer, not why I like football.

I don't really like football or professional sports in general. However, I love and am addicted to the San Diego Chargers. My family started taking me to games when I was 3 years old. Just about every one of my childhood memories revolves around the Chargers. Sad? Probably. But it's the truth. Anyway, I didn't miss a home game from 1978 through 1995, or was it 1996?. Had to give up the seats (which, incidentally, were in the family since Jack Murphy Stadium opened, and had been carried over from Balboa Stadium) when Spanos decided my seats were now called "The Gold Club" and would go up to over $100 per game per seat (including those stupid pre-season games he always made me purchase). Since then, I've watched every game on TV. When I lived in Mexico, I had to almost come to blows with a casino employee who temporarily switched the Chargers/Bengals game to a fucking European soccer match. Fuck that shit. I had never been in a fight before, but, if it was the difference between soccer and the Chargers, that fool was getting knocked the fuck out (or, most likely, I was going to get knocked the fuck out and thrown the fuck out into the street). Fortunately, he realized I was spending more on beer than any of the soccer fans were, so I got the game switched back.

Soccer? I played it when I was a little kid. As I got older, I found it fricking boring and switched to baseball (which I sucked at and then got into surfing, which I also sucked at, so I took up golf, which was boring and angering at the same time, so I just said fuck it, and decided to become a hiker, which I can do (or at least I could before I turned into a cow)). The only way I watch it is if I'm somewhere where everybody else is watching it. I don't mind a party, even if it has something to do with soccer.

[Fleet]

Our defense looks terrible. Lucky to beat Turkey today.

[Beerman]

Only saw the first half, but any decent team will shred that D. Turkey missed a lot of open opps.

[Viejo Bolt]

I've seen Klinsman teams suck defensively before and then he miraculously turns them around, but if he's gonna do it again this time, he has his work cut out for him.

[Beerman]

I've seen Klinsman teams suck defensively before and then he miraculously turns them around, but if he's gonna do it again this time, he has his work cut out for him.

Simply doesn't have the pieces. Isn't the MLS pretty much anti defense? Can't expect to get good defenders when they don't play any on their club teams.

[sandiego17]

Simply doesn't have the pieces. Isn't the MLS pretty much anti defense? Can't expect to get good defenders when they don't play any on their club teams.

I agree he doesn't have the pieces, but the US doesn't have many quality defenders, MLS or not. Yesterday, the only guy in the back from MLS was Besler. I'm with you, don't pay that much attention to MLS, but if SD were to get a team I would definitely watch. NYCFC signed David Villa, not what he was, but still, a starter in the Champions League final.

Hoping all these defensive issues are a strategic rope-a-dope, but more realistically, hoping Howard plays out of his mind.

[oneinchpunch]

I agree he doesn't have the pieces, but the US doesn't have many quality defenders, MLS or not. Yesterday, the only guy in the back from MLS was Besler. I'm with you, don't pay that much attention to MLS, but if SD were to get a team I would definitely watch. NYCFC signed David Villa, not what he was, but still, a starter in the Champions League final.

Hoping all these defensive issues are a strategic rope-a-dope, but more realistically, hoping Howard plays out of his mind.

The US doesn't stand a chance. Coach knows it, since he's been hired he's been building for 2018. That's the reason players like Donovan don't make it now